Midwives are essential to our health care system. They are essential service providers and should be fully integrated to the health care system. Midwives play a major role in promoting community health, especially in countries such as Sri Lanka, where primary health care and services are not easily accessible to everyone.
Well-trained midwives provide sexual and reproductive health care, protecting the health and dignity of women and their families. Midwifery services in the community can reach marginalized and remote populations. Their knowledge and ability to provide information and services on family planning, counselling and perform breast and cervical cancer screenings is crucial in saving the lives of women and girls. Midwives also support in advancing the rights of women and girls, offer support and assistance to survivors of gender-based violence and provide reproductive health services to adolescents.
UNFPA Sri Lanka with the Ministry of Health and partners seek to ensure that everyone has equal access to sexual and reproductive health services and information, especially during crises, and midwives and health workers are trained to provide women access to essential and lifesaving care. There is an urgent need to strengthen and invest in midwifery education and training and improve working conditions. UNFPA Sri Lanka is committed to ensuring and promoting quality maternal health services to all pregnant women.
